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University Of New Mexico Board Of Regents Minutes For August 5, 2021, University Of New Mexico Board Of Regents Aug 2021

University Of New Mexico Board Of Regents Minutes For August 5, 2021, University Of New Mexico Board Of Regents

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.


20210802_New Discovery Interface, Robyn Gleasner Aug 2021

20210802_New Discovery Interface, Robyn Gleasner

HSLIC Blog Post

No abstract provided.


Forms Of Life And Comprehension Analysis And Application Of Concepts From The Philosophical Investigations, Vincent Graziano Aug 2021

Forms Of Life And Comprehension Analysis And Application Of Concepts From The Philosophical Investigations, Vincent Graziano

Philosophy ETDs

In this paper I have examined the notion of ‘forms of life’ against the concept of ‘comprehension’. Particular attention was given to Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations. I first defend my view that comprehension is made possible by forms of life; or, that forms of life condition our comprehension. A comprehension-event is one which will always occur in a language-game, and is structured by grammar. After I defend my position, I apply this view to three canonical philosophical issues: conceptual universals or how we see one when there are many, the mind-body gap or the difficulty of unifying our ideas about the …


Experiences And Perceptions Of People Living With Narcolepsy, Teresa Sellstrom Aug 2021

Experiences And Perceptions Of People Living With Narcolepsy, Teresa Sellstrom

Nursing ETDs

The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences and perceptions of persons living with narcolepsy from their perspective. An anonymous, online survey that included both open-ended and structured questions was administered to adults with narcolepsy with or without cataplexy (N = 72; 65 F) recruited through the auspices of the Narcolepsy Network (NN). A total of 69 participants responded to at least one open-ended question about experiences of diagnosis, treatment, and living with the condition. An Interpretive Description approach was used to analyze open ended responses. The major themes included serious medical issues (e.g., misdiagnosis and difficulties with …


Nutrition Information Resources Used By People With Systemic Sclerosis And Perceived Advantages And Disadvantages: A Nominal Group Technique Study, Nora Østbø, Elizabeth Yakes Jimenez, Sami Harb, Angelica Bourgeault, Marie-Eve Carrier, Brett D. Thombs, Scleroderma Patient-Centered Intervention Network (Spin) Diet And Nutrition Education Patient Advisory Team Aug 2021

Nutrition Information Resources Used By People With Systemic Sclerosis And Perceived Advantages And Disadvantages: A Nominal Group Technique Study, Nora Østbø, Elizabeth Yakes Jimenez, Sami Harb, Angelica Bourgeault, Marie-Eve Carrier, Brett D. Thombs, Scleroderma Patient-Centered Intervention Network (Spin) Diet And Nutrition Education Patient Advisory Team

Pediatrics Research and Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: Where people with systemic sclerosis (SSc) (or scleroderma) obtain diet and nutrition information to manage their disease is not known. Objectives were to identify 1) resources used by people with SSc for nutrition and diet information and 2) perceived advantages and disadvantages of resources.

METHODS: We conducted nominal group technique (NGT) sessions in which people with SSc reported nutrition and diet information resources they have used and perceived advantages and disadvantages of accessing and using resources. Participants indicated whether they had tried each resource. They rated helpfulness and importance of possible advantages and disadvantages. Items elicited across sessions were …


Shea Pediatric Leadership Council Commentary: Supporting Well Child Care During The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Pandemic With Personal Protective Equipment In The Ambulatory Setting, Joshua K Schaffzin, Allison H. Bartlett, Latania K. Logan, Judith A Guzman-Cottrill, Carolyn Caughell, Karen A. Ravin, Lorry G. Rubin, Larry K. Kociolek, Martha L. Muller, Jason Lake, Lynn Ramirez-Avila, Shea Pediatric Leadership Council Aug 2021

Shea Pediatric Leadership Council Commentary: Supporting Well Child Care During The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Pandemic With Personal Protective Equipment In The Ambulatory Setting, Joshua K Schaffzin, Allison H. Bartlett, Latania K. Logan, Judith A Guzman-Cottrill, Carolyn Caughell, Karen A. Ravin, Lorry G. Rubin, Larry K. Kociolek, Martha L. Muller, Jason Lake, Lynn Ramirez-Avila, Shea Pediatric Leadership Council

Pediatrics Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.


Financial Hardship And Health Related Quality Of Life Among Older Latinos With Chronic Diseases, Frances R Nedjat-Haiem, Tamara Cadet, Humberto Parada, Tessa Jones, Elvira E Jimenez, Beti Thompson, Kristen J Wells, Shiraz I Mishra Aug 2021

Financial Hardship And Health Related Quality Of Life Among Older Latinos With Chronic Diseases, Frances R Nedjat-Haiem, Tamara Cadet, Humberto Parada, Tessa Jones, Elvira E Jimenez, Beti Thompson, Kristen J Wells, Shiraz I Mishra

Pediatrics Research and Scholarship

BACKGROUND: Financial hardship influences health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of older adults. However, little is known about the relationship between financial hardship and HRQoL among vulnerable populations.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the associations between financial hardship and HRQoL among older Latinos living with chronic disease, including cancer.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 68 Latinos (age range 50-87) with one or more chronic health conditions who participated in a pilot randomized clinical trial. Participants responded to 11 financial hardship questions. We used factor analysis to explore constructs of financial hardship. HRQoL was assessed using the 27-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G). …


Depressed Right Ventricular Systolic Function In Heart Failure Due To Constrictive Pericarditis, Veena Raizada, Kimi Sato, Alaa Alashi, Arnav Kumar, Deborah Kwon, Jay Ramchand, Amy Dillenbeck, Ross E. Zumwalt, Adarsh S. Vangala, Tyler D. Earley, Allan Klein Aug 2021

Depressed Right Ventricular Systolic Function In Heart Failure Due To Constrictive Pericarditis, Veena Raizada, Kimi Sato, Alaa Alashi, Arnav Kumar, Deborah Kwon, Jay Ramchand, Amy Dillenbeck, Ross E. Zumwalt, Adarsh S. Vangala, Tyler D. Earley, Allan Klein

Pathology Research and Scholarship

AIMS: Heart failure in constrictive pericarditis (CP) is attributed to impaired biventricular diastolic filling. However, diseases that cause CP due to myocardial infiltration and fibrosis can also impair biventricular systolic function (sf) and contribute to heart failure. This study of patients with CP examined biventricular sf and the effect of myocardial infiltration by pericardial diseases and the resulting fibrosis on ventricular sf.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Histopathologic examinations of right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) myocardia and pericardia were performed on three autopsied hearts of patients with pericardial diseases. Additionally, in 40 adults with clinical heart failure and 40 healthy …


Mitophagy Protein Pink1 Suppresses Colon Tumor Growth By Metabolic Reprogramming Via P53 Activation And Reducing Acetyl-Coa Production, Kunlun Yin, Jordan Lee, Zhaoli Liu, Hyeoncheol Kim, David R Martin, Dandan Wu, Meilian Liu, Xiang Xue Aug 2021

Mitophagy Protein Pink1 Suppresses Colon Tumor Growth By Metabolic Reprogramming Via P53 Activation And Reducing Acetyl-Coa Production, Kunlun Yin, Jordan Lee, Zhaoli Liu, Hyeoncheol Kim, David R Martin, Dandan Wu, Meilian Liu, Xiang Xue

Pathology Research and Scholarship

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US. Understanding the mechanisms of CRC progression is essential to improve treatment. Mitochondria is the powerhouse for healthy cells. However, in tumor cells, less energy is produced by the mitochondria and metabolic reprogramming is an early hallmark of cancer. The metabolic differences between normal and cancer cells are being interrogated to uncover new therapeutic approaches. Mitochondria targeting PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) is a key regulator of mitophagy, the selective elimination of damaged mitochondria by autophagy. Defective mitophagy is increasingly associated with various diseases including CRC. However, a …


Overcoming The Limitations Of 'Accident' As A Manner Of Death For Drug Overdose Mortality: Case For A Death Certificate Checkbox, Ian R H Rockett, Eric D. Caine, Hilary S. Connery, Kurt B. Nolte Aug 2021

Overcoming The Limitations Of 'Accident' As A Manner Of Death For Drug Overdose Mortality: Case For A Death Certificate Checkbox, Ian R H Rockett, Eric D. Caine, Hilary S. Connery, Kurt B. Nolte

Pathology Research and Scholarship

Collectively, the epidemic increases in the United States of opioid-related deaths and suicides during the first two decades of the 21st century have exposed shortcomings in current forensic and epidemiological approaches for determining and codifying manner of death-a vital function fulfilled by medical examiners, coroners and nosologists-the foundation for the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), an incident-based surveillance system providing individual-level information on decedent characteristics, manner, cause and circumstances of suicide, homicide and other violent injury deaths. Drug intoxication deaths are generally classified as 'accidents' or unintentional, a fundamental mischaracterisation; most arose from repetitive self-harm behaviours related to substance …


Cd44 Engagement Enhances Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Adhesion To The Bone Marrow Microenvironment By Increasing Vla-4 Avidity, Julia C. Gutjahr, Elisabeth Bayer, Xiaobing Yu, Julia M. Laufer, Jan P. Höpner, Suzana Tesanovic, Andrea Härzschel, Georg Auer, Tanja Rieß, Astrid Salmhofer, Eva Szenes, Theresa Haslauer, Valerie Durand-Onayli, Andrea Ramspacher, Sandra P. Pennisi, Marc Artinger, Nadja Zaborsky, Alexandre Chigaev, Fritz Aberger, Daniel Neureiter, Lisa Pleyer, Daniel F. Legler, Veronique Orian-Rousseau, Richard Greil, Tanja N. Hartmann Aug 2021

Cd44 Engagement Enhances Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Adhesion To The Bone Marrow Microenvironment By Increasing Vla-4 Avidity, Julia C. Gutjahr, Elisabeth Bayer, Xiaobing Yu, Julia M. Laufer, Jan P. Höpner, Suzana Tesanovic, Andrea Härzschel, Georg Auer, Tanja Rieß, Astrid Salmhofer, Eva Szenes, Theresa Haslauer, Valerie Durand-Onayli, Andrea Ramspacher, Sandra P. Pennisi, Marc Artinger, Nadja Zaborsky, Alexandre Chigaev, Fritz Aberger, Daniel Neureiter, Lisa Pleyer, Daniel F. Legler, Veronique Orian-Rousseau, Richard Greil, Tanja N. Hartmann

Pathology Research and Scholarship

Adhesive properties of leukemia cells shape the degree of organ infiltration and the extent of leukocytosis. CD44 and the integrin VLA-4, a CD49d/CD29 heterodimer, are important factors of progenitor cell adhesion in bone marrow (BM). Here, we report their cooperation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by a novel non-classical CD44-mediated way of inside-out VLA-4 activation. In primary AML BM samples from patients and the OCI-AML3 cell line, CD44 engagement by hyaluronan induced inside-out activation of VLA-4 resulting in enhanced leukemia cell adhesion on VCAM-1. This was independent from VLA-4 affinity regulation but based on ligand-induced integrin clustering on the cell …


Role Of Molecular Signature To Differentiate Second Primary Lung Cancer From Metastasis In A Patient With Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of Oral Cavity, Emrullah Yilmaz, Gregory N. Gan, Thomas M. Schroeder, Andrew Cowan, Nancy Joste Aug 2021

Role Of Molecular Signature To Differentiate Second Primary Lung Cancer From Metastasis In A Patient With Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of Oral Cavity, Emrullah Yilmaz, Gregory N. Gan, Thomas M. Schroeder, Andrew Cowan, Nancy Joste

Pathology Research and Scholarship

BACKGROUND: Lung is the most common site of distant metastasis for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, differentiating second primary lung cancers from metastasis may be difficult for p16 negative HNSCC.

CASE: We describe a case of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) who was found to have lung nodule and hilar lymphadenopathy (LAD) after surgery and radiation therapy. Hilar node was consistent with SCC however, it was difficult to differentiate second primary lung cancer and metastasis from oral cavity SCC. Next-generation sequencing was done for the primary oral cavity and the hilar node. Both samples …


Coalition For Prisoners' Rights Newsletter, Vol. 46-C, No. 8, Coalition For Prisoners' Rights Aug 2021

Coalition For Prisoners' Rights Newsletter, Vol. 46-C, No. 8, Coalition For Prisoners' Rights

Coalition for Prisoners' Rights Newsletters

Anniversaries

George Jackson's Struggle & Death

Attica Prison Uprising

En Apoyo A Cuba

Wall City Nuestra Msion - producida por: San Quentin News escrito por prisioneros - avanzando en la justicia

Intensive Management Unit Challenge

Diversity Accepted: Pride Celebration

UC Davis Books to Prisoners [as published in The Fire Inside of the CCWP, #64]

CA Coalition for Women Prisoners


Framing The Guides Transforming Libguides Creation Through Conceptual Integration With The Acrl Framework, Brooke Duffy, Kelleen Maluski, Gina Levitan Aug 2021

Framing The Guides Transforming Libguides Creation Through Conceptual Integration With The Acrl Framework, Brooke Duffy, Kelleen Maluski, Gina Levitan

Publications

This chapter will discuss how one small liberal arts school utilized the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, a year after it was filed, to build LibGuides as they adopted the software for the first time. The goal being to create guides that would not simply be topical lists of resources but conceptual starting points for discipline-specific research that also integrated the ACRL Framework. As work on the guides continued and staffing transitions occurred the intention to utilize guides as instructional tools was solidified so that they could be used as a way to introduce threshold concepts in …


Examining Self-Care Practices From A Sytemic Perspective: Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Hispanic Female Counselors In Rural New Mexico, Melissa C. Henry Aug 2021

Examining Self-Care Practices From A Sytemic Perspective: Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Hispanic Female Counselors In Rural New Mexico, Melissa C. Henry

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) explored the experiences of Hispanic female counselors in rural New Mexico conceptualization and practice of self-care and wellness. The aim of the study was to understand the systemic, environmental, and cultural factors that reinforce and prevent resilience and wellness. Data consisted of two interviews: one structured hour-long demographic interview and one semi-structured hour-long interview related to the participant’s experience of identity, professional counseling, and self-care. Participants included 9 Hispanic women practicing professional counseling and living in various rural communities in New Mexico. Six main themes identified systemic, environmental, and cultural strengths and barriers for participants …


Management Of Early Pregnancy Loss In Rural And Urban New Mexico, Anwar Jackson Aug 2021

Management Of Early Pregnancy Loss In Rural And Urban New Mexico, Anwar Jackson

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Early pregnancy loss (EPL) is a common pregnancy condition that can be easily and effectively managed. However, there is limited data on the availability of management options, particularly in rural areas. Issues concerning limited data on early pregnancy loss management were analyzed in three ways. A literature review was performed exploring the role midwives play in EPL care. Findings from this review were written in the form of a review article. Original research was then conducted exploring differences in EPL care provision between rural and urban New Mexico. This research consisted of a questionnaire given to clinicians practicing in rural …


Virtual Peer-To-Peer Learning To Enhance And Accelerate The Health System Response To Covid-19: The Hhs Aspr Project Echo Covid-19 Clinical Rounds Initiative., Richard C. Hunt, Bruce B. Struminger, John T. Redd, Jack Herrmann, B Tillman Jolly, Sanjeev Arora, Amy J. Armistad, Amanda M. Dezan, Celine A. Bennett, Jon R. Krohmer, Lawrence H. Brown Aug 2021

Virtual Peer-To-Peer Learning To Enhance And Accelerate The Health System Response To Covid-19: The Hhs Aspr Project Echo Covid-19 Clinical Rounds Initiative., Richard C. Hunt, Bruce B. Struminger, John T. Redd, Jack Herrmann, B Tillman Jolly, Sanjeev Arora, Amy J. Armistad, Amanda M. Dezan, Celine A. Bennett, Jon R. Krohmer, Lawrence H. Brown

Project ECHO Bibliography

Tasked with identifying digital health solutions to support dynamic learning health systems and their response to COVID-19, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response partnered with the University of New Mexico's Project ECHO and more than 2 dozen other organizations and agencies to create a real-time virtual peer-to-peer clinical education opportunity: the COVID-19 Clinical Rounds Initiative. Focused on 3 "pressure points" in the COVID-19 continuum of care-(1) the out-of-hospital and/or emergency medical services setting, (2) emergency departments, and (3) inpatient critical care environments-the initiative has created a massive peer-to-peer learning …


Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Therapy Resistance And A Potential Role For Tetraspanin Membrane Scaffolds, Muskan Floren, Jennifer M. Gillette Aug 2021

Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Therapy Resistance And A Potential Role For Tetraspanin Membrane Scaffolds, Muskan Floren, Jennifer M. Gillette

Pathology Research and Scholarship

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by the disruption of myeloid differentiation and accumulation of blast cells in the bone marrow. While AML patients respond favorably to induction chemotherapy, long-term outcomes remain poor due to a high rate of chemoresistance. Advances with targeted therapies, which can be used in combination with conventional chemotherapy, have expanded therapeutic options for patients. However, remission is often short-lived and followed by disease relapse and drug resistance. Therefore, there is a substantial need to improve treatment options by identifying novel molecular and cellular targets that regulate AML chemosensitivity. Membrane scaffolds such as the tetraspanin family …


Nanoscale Assembly Of Dectin-1 And Its Glucan Ligand In Immunocyte Membranes And Pathogen Cell Walls, Akram Etemadi Amin Jul 2021

Nanoscale Assembly Of Dectin-1 And Its Glucan Ligand In Immunocyte Membranes And Pathogen Cell Walls, Akram Etemadi Amin

Physics & Astronomy ETDs

Candida spp. pathogens continue to be a significant health care burden with high mortality and exceeding enormous healthcare costs. Candida infection range varies from dermatological infection to more severe bloodstream infection in debilitated patients. Due to this, research dedicated to understanding biophysical interactions between Candida species and the host’s immune cells is essential. The C-type lectin’s (CtLs) are known to bind to Candida cell walls and play a crucial role in downstream immune signaling. It is known that β-glucans, the highly immunogenic polysaccharide in Candida’s cell wall, are mostly masked underneath a layer of mannosylated proteins. The amount of …


Decompositions Of Total Causal Effect: A Natural Counterfactual Framework Assessing Mediation And Interaction, Xin Gao Jul 2021

Decompositions Of Total Causal Effect: A Natural Counterfactual Framework Assessing Mediation And Interaction, Xin Gao

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

In this work, we developed ten-way decompositions of the total causal effect on continuous outcomes in the presence of two mediators that have mediation and interaction components. We considered a natural counterfactual interaction effect framework that facilitates the decomposition of the total casual effects of the exposure on the outcome attributable to the effects of mediators and their interaction effects with the exposure. We discussed the identification assumptions and provide empirical formulas for estimating the components of the ten-way decompositions. We also developed multiplicative total causal effect decompositions based on risk ratios for binary outcomes, hazard ratios and logarithm survival …


Using Virus-Like Particles To Combat Cardiovascular Disease And Identify An Immunogenic Target Of Natural Zika Virus Infection In Humans, Alexandra Marie Fowler Jul 2021

Using Virus-Like Particles To Combat Cardiovascular Disease And Identify An Immunogenic Target Of Natural Zika Virus Infection In Humans, Alexandra Marie Fowler

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Virus-like particles (VLPs) derived from bacteriophages have been utilized as highly immunogenic vaccine platforms for displaying antigen targets of interest. Bacteriophage VLPs have a highly repetitive structure made of protein subunits that self-assemble into an icosahedral particle. These structures can strongly activate the immune system, especially B cells. Arraying antigens on the surface of VLPs in a multivalent manner can, in turn, confer the ability to induce strong antibody responses to virtually any target. This technique can even be used to elicit antibody responses against self-antigens. Here we have exploited these features for developing VLP-based vaccines that target self-molecules involved …


Goal Orientation, Regulation Of Motivation, And Academic Achievement In Pharmacy Students, Krystal L. Ward Jul 2021

Goal Orientation, Regulation Of Motivation, And Academic Achievement In Pharmacy Students, Krystal L. Ward

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

This study examined goal orientation in Doctor of Pharmacy Students and its relationship with regulation of motivation and academic achievement. Research questions included: 1) Do student cohorts (first-year, second-year, and third-year students) differ in their initial goal orientation? Do students’ goal orientation vary across time (from fall to spring)? 2) How does change in goal orientation impact changes in regulation of motivation? 3) How does change in goal orientation impact changes in academic achievement? 4) Which factor, regulation of motivation or academic achievement, has the strongest relationship with goal orientation?

178 participants completed survey instruments in the fall and spring …


Weedy Relations: Narratives Of Invasion And Intimacy With Tamarisk In The Chihuahuan Desert, Shannon S. Pepper Jul 2021

Weedy Relations: Narratives Of Invasion And Intimacy With Tamarisk In The Chihuahuan Desert, Shannon S. Pepper

Geography ETDs

Tamarix spp., also known as salt cedar or tamarisk, is a shrub that has garnered a notorious reputation in North America as an invasive plant, with widespread policy and research advocating for its eradication in the Southwest U.S. and Northern Mexico. This study examines both governmental conservation documents and news articles to investigate narrative trends on tamarisk in the Southwestern U.S. and Northern Mexico as a contiguous region (the Chihuahuan Desert), expanding on current research to include transborder effects on the perception and management of introduced species. This paper asks: In the last 25 years, how has the movement, …


A Tale Of Itam Tails: New Insights Into The Molecular Mechanisms That Tune Fcɛri Signaling, William K. Kanagy Jul 2021

A Tale Of Itam Tails: New Insights Into The Molecular Mechanisms That Tune Fcɛri Signaling, William K. Kanagy

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Immunoreceptor Tyrosine-based Activating Motif (ITAM) receptors are critical in sensing extracellular antigen and initiating an immune response. The ITAM receptor FcɛRI, termed the high affinity IgE receptor, is the primary promoter of inducing the Type 1 allergic response and is primarily expressed in mast cells and basophils. In this dissertation, I worked to determine how early signaling events initiated at the FcɛRI ITAM interface tune downstream signaling outcomes. I began by determining that differential phospho-tyrosine ITAM patterns produce unique recruitment profiles of the accessory kinases proteins Syk and Lyn. I next determined the differential signaling ITAM capabilities of Lyn and …


Regulation Of H2s Production And Signaling Within Vascular Endothelium, Perenkita J. Mendiola Jul 2021

Regulation Of H2s Production And Signaling Within Vascular Endothelium, Perenkita J. Mendiola

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a vasodilator primarily produced by cysthathionine

gamma-lyase (CSE) within the vasculature. Previous studies suggest there are

differences in CSE expression and the contribution of H2S to vasodilation in

different sized arteries. This led us to postulate that there are also regional

differences of regulators of H2S-mediated vasodilatory pathways.

This study examined the role of endothelial cell plasma membrane (EC

PM) cholesterol in regulating H2S-induced vasodilation and the role of

intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i in regulating CSE activity in vascular EC. We

hypothesized that CSE activation in EC by receptor-dependent second

messenger signaling enhances H2S production and subsequent …


Rac1 In Ovarian Cancer Metastasis And Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling: An Experimental And Computational Analysis, Melanie Rivera Jul 2021

Rac1 In Ovarian Cancer Metastasis And Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling: An Experimental And Computational Analysis, Melanie Rivera

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecologic malignancies, and the patient survival rate has not changed significantly in 20 years. Patients are often diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease with widespread tumor cell dissemination and metastasis. Therefore, drivers of ovarian cancer metastasis need to be identified. In Chapter 2, we reveal the role of Rac1 in ovarian cancer metastasis using a combination of experimental and computational approaches. In Chapter 3, we demonstrate that changes in gene expression and cytokine levels within the immunosuppressive ovarian cancer tumor microenvironment are dependent on Rac1 expression and activity. Collectively, the …


Pseudo-Ductile 3d Printed Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites, Shreya Vemuganti Jul 2021

Pseudo-Ductile 3d Printed Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites, Shreya Vemuganti

Civil Engineering ETDs

The use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials is continuously growing in civil infrastructure owing to its high strength, low weight, and manufacturing flexibility. However, FRP is characterized by sudden failure and lacks ductility. When used in construction, gradual failure of FRP components is desired to avoid catastrophic structural collapse. Due to its mechanical orthotropy, the behavior of FRP relies significantly on fiber orientation and stacking sequence. In this research proposal, investigations showed that novel multi-angled glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites with varying fiber orientation angles, stacking sequence, and thickness of laminas can be designed and fabricated using 3D …


Developing An Epitope-Based Malaria Vaccine Targeting The Circumsporozoite Protein, Lucie Jelinkova Jul 2021

Developing An Epitope-Based Malaria Vaccine Targeting The Circumsporozoite Protein, Lucie Jelinkova

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease that is spread to humans by mosquitos. Developing a successful vaccine for malaria has been a remarkable challenge. Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, is a complex organism that transforms into unique forms and infects multiple organs within the human host throughout its life cycle. In these studies we describe a virus-like particle (VLP)-based approach to developing a vaccine for malaria that targets discrete and specific sites on invading sporozoites during the pre-erythrocytic stage of infection. VLPs are noninfectious, self-assembling particles derived from viral structural proteins, and are safe and highly immunogenic. …


Measuring Language Development In Children With Down Syndrome Who Use Aac, Ji Sun Park Jul 2021

Measuring Language Development In Children With Down Syndrome Who Use Aac, Ji Sun Park

Speech and Hearing Sciences ETDs

Purpose: This study examined the inter-observer agreement (IOA) and within-observer agreement as well as the clinical potential of newly proposed measures that are designed to monitor language progress of children with Down syndrome who use AAC. Measures were explored based on the Graphic Symbol Utterance and Sentence Development Framework.

Method: Participants included 8 preschoolers with Down syndrome. Four graduate student observers coded 13 measures across 57 intervention sessions. Each session was coded by two observers for IOA, and all sessions were recoded for within-observer agreement. Statistical analyses were completed on utterance level and session level.

Results: Across all observers and …


Converting Parylene C Into A Thin Film Piezoelectric Material, Murali Manohar Duggina Jul 2021

Converting Parylene C Into A Thin Film Piezoelectric Material, Murali Manohar Duggina

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Thin-film piezoelectric materials are increasing in demand, but most materials are stiff ceramic materials. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a common polymer piezoelectric material, but it has limitations such as it requires post-processing steps to promote appropriate β-phase and it has a low operating and Curie Temperature, which limits its use in traditional microfabrication processing. The toxicity of PZT makes it incompatible with biomedical applications. Therefore, there is a need to develop a new class of polymer piezoelectric films that are compatible with current microfabrication methods. Parylene C (PA-C) is a chemical vapor deposited semi-crystalline polymer material with a nonsymmetric polymer …